The Pittsburgh Penguins and Kyle Dubas
Josh Yohe of The Athletic: So the Pittsburgh Penguins weren’t supposed to be very good in 2025-26. In October they unexpectedly won eight games with Tristan Jarry and Arturs Silovs in goal. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin look like they’re thirty. Everything seems to be working fine. Then there is the future. Dan Muse has the team playing really good hockey.
There’s that word: the postseason. Will Kyle Dubas give in a little and make it possible for another run? It depends on who you ask. At the moment, budding seems out of the question. Kris Letang, for example, is an uncertain asset. He’s looked better in the past two weeks, but you never know.
Others look to Sergei Murashov and who can blame them? Murashov is tearing it up in the AHL. Ultimately, he will be Pittsburgh’s best goaltender sometime next season. Some players are developing earlier than expected, which has helped Dubas immensely.
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As for the whole trade deadline thing, Dubas probably won’t make a big splash, just smaller ones. Honestly, he wants his star players to play and let his coach do what he does best: coach!
Talk about Pittsburgh and little splashes
Dan Kingerski of Penguins Hockey NOW: Pittsburgh appears to be looking for a left-handed defenseman. According to some sources I am thinking of Erik Gustafsson. The Penguins lost Caleb Jones to injury for eight weeks, leaving them with two lefties. Emil Andrae and Isaak Jones are other possible AHL talents to keep an eye on here. Options here are scarce and availability is even more unknown.
On the other hand, Dubas wouldn’t have to give up much here. While Dubas can’t flip a player like Matt Dumba, it’s likely already being considered.
And that’s why they call them The Blues
Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic (Mailbag): It’s been a rough start to the season for the St. Louis Blues. Management can’t be happy. Jordan Binnington is definitely not happy, and worse, any consistency is just inconsistent at this point. The Blues are tied for the worst record in the West, with the Calgary Flames at 3-7-2 (8 points).
With several injuries and a vibrating core, experts have already wondered: is the core broken? Dalibor Dvorsky was called up from the AHL due to illnesses in Jake Neighbors and Robert Thomas. Neighbors will be evaluated in a month and may be away for even longer.
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Jim Montgomery wants Dvorsky to play center and power for a unit that is around the league average of 20.7%. They have 35 shots on goal in 29 power play opportunities. Shots create chances and possibly more goals. St. Louis has an odd core with Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou. All three should improve their play because they are young in the “playoff process.” Despite the injuries, there is an effort problem.
The problem is, how can St. Louis play winning hockey again? That answer is: yes, effort!
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